MEG
BORDER COLLIE

“YOU’RE MAD!” That would have been my response three years ago if anyone had said to me that I would drive to Canberra just to give my dog twenty runs lasting five seconds each. Mind you, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, ….. or should I say a lot of hurdles under the dog. Meg first came home as a ten week old pup. She was foisted on me by my wife, Julie, as a replacement for Lucy. We had only ever had small dogs. Of course, Julie had heard an old wife’s tale that puppies with small feet would grow into small dogs … to Julie, ALL puppies have small feet!!

Nonetheless, I knew that a small backyard and a Border Collie would not mix. A voucher for the BDOC from the RSPCA planted the idea in my head that someone (definitely not Julie!) might end up being trained, albeit only a little.

Hence began my BDOC involvement. In the early days I forced myself to attend training on miserable days, with apparently little success. Obedience did not seem to be Meg’s thing, or mine, but I was determined not to give up. I was looking for something to use up Meg’s excess energy, as she was still immature, full of mischief and disobedient.

Then one day we watched flyball training. Meg had been taught to be ball mad by her little sister Suzie (a mature RSPCA dog who arrived a few weeks after Meg). This was fun. So was running around everywhere with the ball at flyball training.

We went in our first competition. FAILURE! Meg wanted to run around instead of jumping because there was to much excitement and activity. She was pulled.

For those who have not seen Meg near a ball, she is totally ball oriented, only glancing away for a moment to take a little offering of food. It was after this first competition that I realized she was food oriented. Back to training ….. food …..didn’t miss a beat …. next competition …. There I was, like an aged village idiot running back shaking a packet of doggie choc’s and yelling out “Choc .. choc. Choc .. choc”. AND SHE DID IT! In flyball there is no greater satisfaction than having your dog complete the run without making a mistake.

After travelling around the state to flyball competitions over the next few months, we prepared for Canberra. Me! Driving to Canberra for the dog!!

During this time we were continuing with our weekly obedience training. I put a lot of Meg’s improvement in flyball down to obedience training. We eventually worked our way into class 4. Of course she is now “totally” obedient in obedience class, and comes back when called, although ….. anyone would think her name was “Ball” because when she runs off towards the flyball equipment during off lead work, she immediately does a U-turn and returns when I call out that magic word.

Three years since first starting at BDOC, we now look forward to our weekly obedience sessions. Meg has also started in the Tricks class as well. Not long after we started at BDOC, someone said “don’t give up because both you and the dog will learn”. I have not forgotton that.

I would encourage all new members to stick with obedience training because Meg and I are living evidence of how you can both learn and have fun. And we are totally committed to each other. There are many stories I could tell about life with Meg, at home, at club and at flyball competitions, but space is against it. Suffice to say, extra curricular activities such as trialing, flyball, agility, tracking or tricks enhances the bond between people and their dog. And it is fun as well. JUST ASK MEG!

dog of the month archive